Your best pop song ever, and why.

[All uphill]

How do you define "pop song" for this purpose?

I'd define it as a song that was or is popular - probably not something from Wagner or Schubert.

 

[All uphill]

Tom Waits -- Hoist that Rag.
Perfect in every way and then a few more.

View: https://youtu.be/TMTu2zjpNKY?si=ouIksek0ncZq254H

Thanks, I'd never heard that before today.

 

[Beebo]

View: https://youtu.be/o_v9MY_FMcw?si=Bt-jb-Y_ejyk4uTf


This is the best song ever. And unlike most stuff already mentioned it’s actually Pop.

And as an old git I think it’s actually a very catchy pop tune with a fun video.

 

[AndyRM]

Aqua - Barbie Girl

Cheesy, ridiculous and how they got away with it is beyond me. Aquarium is a pretty perfect album as far as pop cheese goes!

 

[Littgull]

Alright Now by Free

 

[Venod]

Alright Now by Free

Fantastic song but it's a rock song, but it's a popular one so is it a rock song or a pop song, where are the boundaries?
Is any popular song a pop song ?
Sade and Your Love Is King is a fine song but is it pop?

 

[Beebo]

Is any popular song a pop song ?

No. Not all popular songs are Pop. But neither is Pop just songs that would be played at a kids disco.
But it has to have a clearer definition than just any song you like.
I would suggest it has to be commercial, youth oriented, mass market with catchy choruses. Often the singer neither plays the instruments or writes the song.

It’s quite clear to me that examples above like Free and Don Henley are not in anyway Pop. And if I know anything about the grumpy malcontent that is Don Henley, he’d be outraged to be defined as Pop.

 

[Profpointy]

Well ... I didn't expect THAT! It's a perfectly nice song, don't get me wrong .. but I don't see it in many top tens :P

Anyway, just to redress the balance with an utterly predictable pick, you can't go far wrong with
Teenage Kicks (which I believe was John Peels "best ever pop song")

And for a (slightly) lefter-field choice: Good Vibrations.

Both those crossed my mind too

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Touch by Touch courtesy of Joy.

Crappy really but I find it happily infectious.

(Video, simply because I love the way these kids can dance.)

View: https://youtu.be/BUyP3egluFY?si=bNcdccyA8bclLU2l

 

[postman]

Oh boy no not that.I have a Spotify list with 409 songs on it.Then numerous albums.so The long and winding road by four lads from Liverpool.

 

[Dogtrousers]

but is it pop?

We need some roolz!

But for now I'm going for either Ace of Spades or Build Me Up Buttercup.

 

[Oldhippy]

Love them or loathe them ABBA must be a contender. Everyone knows the words to at least one there songs even if you hate them. Not my cup of tea though.

 

[Kevberlin]

Mason Williams ………Classical Gas………from 1968…….just fantastic……..played it at my mums funeral

View: https://youtu.be/mREi_Bb85Sk?feature=shared

 

[PapaZita]

The first half dozen things that came to mind probably don’t count as pop, so I’ll suggest:

The Jackson 5 - I Want You Back.

 

[stephec]

If we're discussing the definition of pop then, and I'm no fan of them, Wham probably made some of the best pure pop songs.